A Higher Form of Cannibalism?: Adventures in the Art and Politics of Biography

Carl Rollyson's lively and anecdotal investigation of writing about the lives others examines his own practices as well as those of biographers from Samuel Johnson to Richard Ellmann and many others. By its very nature, Mr. Rollyson argues, biography is controversial-it invites the burglar, and justifiably so, especially in the case of literary heroes. A Higher Form of Cannibalism? explores the gap between the scholarly and the popular, the authorized and the unauthorized-which may not be as wide as most people suppose. A candid and revealing account, by an expert in the minefield, of the biographer's contentious work. I've been writing lives for thirty years and learned a lot from it.-Jeffrey Meyers.

About the Author :
Carl Rollyson has written biographies of Rebecca West, Norman Mailer, Martha Gellhorn, Lillian Hellman, Marilyn Monroe, and (with Lisa Paddock) Susan Sontag. A graduate of Michigan State University and the University of Toronto, he is professor of English at Baruch College of the City University of New York and a longtime student of the art of biography. He lives in Cape May County, New Jersey.

Review :
A candid and revealing account, by an expert in the minefield of the biographer’s contentious work. I’ve been writing lives for thirty years and learned a lot from it. Carl Rollyson is not only the author of several accomplished biographies of major American cultural figures, he is also a discerning critic of the art of life writing. These witty and wise essays help explain some of the reasons we find biographies such compelling and engaging reading, especially in the area of conflict between the interests of the biographer and the rights of the resistant subject. Boswell would be delighted. A first rate and successful biographer himself, Carl Rollyson here takes us along on an audacious and daring tour...of the art and craft of biography, past and present (and always bravely personal).... Bright, witty, persuasive, this is a book worthy of our best attention. Speaking as a biographer, I wish Carl Rollyson had shown a touch more restraint when exposing certain details about our profession. But as a reader… Oh, dear, I must confess to lapping up every single one of his stories and wanting more. ...A witty, informative, and hugely entertaining book that is chock-full of food for thought, especially if one happens to be a biographer. This book does an excellent job of illuminating the process and criticism of this popular form of writing. Carl Rollyson...is in the perfect position to provide an insider's perspective on the subject he knows best. The greatest virtue of A Higher Form of Cannibalism...is in its honesty. Rollyson’s discussion of writing and evaluating biography is revealing and stimulating, making this a good read. The book is so uninhibited...that most readers will find plenty to...admire.